Mechanical toe-movement device for artificial limbs



April 20 1926. 1,581,815

7 A. D. SCULLY MECHANICAL TOE MOVEMENT DEVICE FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS FiledJuly 8, 1925 1%. 1 fig. 2

ALEXANDER D, Scuu y A IN VENTOR A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

1,581,815 PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER I). SCULLY, OF .NEVI' YORK, N, Y.

MECHANICAL Ton-MO EMENT DEVICE son ARTIFICIAL LII/res.

Application filed July 8,1925. Serial No. 42,198..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER D. SOULLY, citizen of the United States,and'resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Toe-Movement Devices for Arti-- ficial Limbs, of which thefollowing is a specification. I

My invention relates to mechanical toe movement devices for artificiallimbs and has a particular reference to flexible and resilient soleplates for artificial feet.

The object of my invention is to provide 'a flexible sole plate so as toallow a free bending of the toes of an artificial foot, for instance,during walking action, and, at the same time, to have this sole platevery resilient so as to bring the toes back to their normal positionimmediately upon removal pf the weight of thebody from the artificialoot.

In ordinary artificial feet the sole is usually made flexible in orderto imitate the natural bending of a human foot, but these ordinaryartificial feet usually lack proper resiliency, and after having beenused for some time, they become permanently bent,

thereby acquiring an awkward and unnatural shape. y In my device Iprovide a plate of a spring steel reenforced with a coiled steel wire ofa suflicient stiffness and resiliency to insure the permanency of theshape of the artificial foot.

My invention is more fully described in the accompanying specificationand drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of mydevice, Fig. 2 l

is a sectional elevation of same, and Fig. 3 is of an artificial foot..7

My device consists of a platel made of a spring steel, hardened andproperly tempered. It is cut to conformto the bottom a view showing myplate attached to the sole surface of an artificial foot 2 and isprovided with apertures 3 extending longitudinally on both sides. 'Theobject of these apertures is partly to increase the flexibility of theplate, and partly to provide facilities for attaching the plate to thebottom of the artificial foot.

The plate 1, as I'have found from actual practice, gives best resultswhen it is made of steel about g g in. thick; It can be made, however,of any suitable resilient metal, such as hard bronze, aluminum, etc. Theresilient plate 1 is placed on a leather plate 4 which "forms a wearresisting surface and is placed hooks 6. A coil or loop 7 is provided atboth sides of the wire spring 5 in order to increase its flexibility.

The wire 5 is given an oval shapeto conform with the shape of theplate 1. The ends may be left open, as shown, or they may be joinedtogether.

A second leather plate 8 is placed on top of the plates 1 and 4, and allthree plates are joined togetherby means of rivets 9 and clips 10. Theloops 7 extend outside, theplate 8 being provided with correspond ingslots 11 for them.

Additional holes 12 are provided in plates for. screws 13 with which mysole plate is attached to the bottom surface of an artificial foot 2.Suitable depressions are provided in the artificial foot for the loops7.

In addition to the screws 13 the plates may be sewed to the sole of theartificialfoot by means of ordinary threads, passing them through holesin the plates and through the leather plates in the apertures 3.

lVith the construction shown thecombined resiliency of the plate 1 andof the wire 5 is such, that the toe of the foot 2 is always maintainedin a proper shape, being bent only when the whole weight of ones body isplaced on the toe during walking.

This plate can be used to advantage with the foot made of felt, rubberor similar flexible material, or if it is made of wood or aluminum andis provided with hinges.

- I claim as my invention:

1. In a mechanical toe movement device, the combinationwith a flexiblemetal plate,

a wire spring attached to said plate, a plurality of loops formed onsaid wire, wear resisting plates attached to said metal plate, and meansto attach said plates to the bottom surface of an artificial foot.

2. In a mechanical toe movement device, the combination with a flexibleresilient metal plate, a wirespring attached to said plate, apluralityof loops formed on said wire, wear resisting plates attached to saidmetal plate, said metal plate being provided with a plurality ofapertures, and means to attach said plates to the bottom surface of anartificial foot.

3. In a mechanical toe movement device for artificial limbs, thecombination With a flexible resilient metal plate, flexible wearresisting plates attached to said metal plate around its circumference,means to attach said metal plate with said Wear resisting plates to thesole of an artificial foot, and means to increase the resiliency of saidmetal plate.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,June A. D. 1925.

ALEXANDER D. SOULLY.

